Steam-supply for internal-combustion engines.



C. B. STURGES.

' STEAM SUPPLY FOR INTERNAL 'comausflow ENGINES.

' APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. 1916.

1,218,606 Patented Mar. 6, 1917. I

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UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE.

CLARENCE B. STURGES, OF FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO WEISS ENGINE COMPANY, OF WILMINGTON, "DELAWARE, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 6, 1917.

Application filed June 28, 1916. Serial No. 106,296.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE B. STUR- ens, acitizen of the United States, residing at Fair-field, Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Supply for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

In this invention it is proposed to introduce steam into the explosive hydrocarbon mixture of an internal combustion engine for the purpose of maintaining the mixture at a relatively low temperature during compression in order that the range of expan-' sion upon ignition may be relatively great and the power correspondingly increased. More particularly, the invention is concerned with devices for forming the steam by the heat of the exhaust and in many important structural features which would make the invention especially useful on the engines of automobiles. As is well known more and more attention is given to those questions which concern the eflicientand economical operation of internal combustion engines and particularly for those of auto- .mobiles in an endeavor to meet the increased cost of fuel. It is settled that a relatively low compression temperature is desirable for a hydrocarbon fuel in order that the temperature increase upon ignition shall be a maximum and the resulting expansion and power shall bein corresponding proportions. It has been found that steam when added to a hydrocarbon fuel has no effect on the thermal characteristics thereof and serves as a thoroughly satisfactory cooling agent du'r-.

mg the compression stroke. In addition, the presence of steam in the gas is highly desirable because of its physical properties, one of its most important actions being that .of a lubricant. It is a-fact that the presence of steam makes 1t unnecessary to employ the same quantity of lubricating oil for the cylinder so that a great saving is effected and the general purpose of the invention in reducing the cost of operating inter nal combustion engines is thereby further realized. Again, instead of affecting the mixture disadvantageously, it is found that the steam serves to cause a more complete admixture of the air and hydrocarbon gas than is generally obtained. Another phase of the invention is concerned with the improved devices whereby an adequate steam supply for the purpose described may always be secured conveniently and without expense in connection with the modern automobile gas engme It is an object of the invention to provide steam supply devices which may be readily adapted to engines of standard constructiomshall be simple in construction, inexpensive and adapted especially for use with the exhaust as the source of heat. Stillanother object is to provide devices of the character described in which the source of water from which the steam is generated is mounted in full view of the operator and equipped with suitable means for permitting the adjustment. of the water feed. The objects referred to herein briefly, as well as others, will be set forth in greater detail in connection with the description of the embodiment of the invention shown in the ac com anying drawings, in which- Flgure 1 illustrates steam supply devices embodying the invention and applied to an automobile engine, so much of the automobile being shown in outline as is necessary for an understanding of the relation thereto of said devices.

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the engine shown in Fig. 1.

While it will be evident. as the description roceeds that the improved steam supply evices may be used in association with an internal combustion engineunder any circumstances, since certain phases of the improvements are concerned with the application of such devices to automobiles, such an embodiment has been illustrated. In the drawings, the motor a is indicated as mounted on the usual side frame members 7) of the chassis of an automobile and in the bonnet c, the fuel for the motor being derived from a carbureter d from whence the mixture passes into the cylinders through an inlet manifold d, while the burnt gases are discharged from the cylinders through the exhaust manifold c, all in a way which struction and relatively inexpensive. In Fig. 1 it appears that the steam chamber f surrounds the exhaust pipe 6 and has supported therein, as through a collar 6 secured to the exhaust, or in any other convenient way, a vaporizing annulus or fin g, which presents a relatively broad upper surface and abstracts heat readily from the hot exhaust pipe 6 for the purpose of providing steam from the water which is to be fed thereto. The water supply in the approved form of the invention may best be provided in the form of a sight tank h which may be mounted directly on the dash B or in any convenient place in easy View of the operator. From the sight tank It the water is fed by gravity through a pipe 72/ which passes through the wall of the chamber f and discharges the water directly on to the vaporizing annulus q. The rate of feed of water which will ordinarily be used drop by drop may be adjusted readily by means of a suitable valve indicated conventionally at 2', including a needle 2" which may extend through the sight tank 71. and have its position with respect to its seat adjusted readily by means of a lock nut 11 or equivalent means of a character which is common. From the vaporizing chamber f the steam is led through a pipe f to a point at the intake side of the motor where it may be best introduced into the explosive mixture between the carbureter proper and the cylinders. For instance, as shown in Fig. 2, the end of the pipe f may conveniently pass into the high speed ai'r chamber 03 of the carbureter so that the inflowing steam and inflowing air may have a mutual injector action and, at all events, be intimately intermingled as they rush into the inlet pipe for further intermingling with the explosive mixture passing therethrough.

From the description given, the method of operation of the improved steam supply devices will be clear. The needle valve i in the sight tank 72, will be so adjusted with relation to its seat 2' that the water will be fed from a tank past a sight plate i preferably drop by drop, or at any predetermined rate, and flow through the pipe h and eventually drop onto the hot vaporizing annulus g. This annulus derives its heat from the exhaust gases in the pipe 6 and is effective for the purpose of vaporizing completely the water which drops thereon so that the chamber 7 is kept full of steam and this steam passes continuously through the pipe 7" from whence it. is discharged into the explosive mixture. The effect of this steam, as noted briefly in the preamble,

- is to maintain the mixture at a relatively low temperature throughout the compression stroke and thereby insure a maximum range of expansion upon ignition. This steam further includes some of the properties of a lubricant and acts on the cylinder walls in such manner as to make it'unnecessary to employ the usual quantity of lubricant. Viewed in any light, the presence of the steam is highly advantageous since it serves -to increase the efficiency of the engine and,

- The scope of the invention will appear I from the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: 1. In an internal combustion engine in combination with the inlet and exhaust pipes, steam supply devices for the mixture comprislng a steam chamber through which the exhaust pipe extends, a fin supported onthe exhaust pipe within the chamber, a regulable supply of water for the steam chamber, means to deposit the wateron the fin for vaporization, and a pipe to leadthe steam from the chamber into the mixture in the inlet pipe.

2. In an internal combustion engine in combination with a carbureter having a high speed air supply chamber and the inlet and exhaust pipes, steam supply de vices for the mixture comprising a steam chamber through which the exhaust pipe extends, a horizontally disposed annulus within the chamber encircling the exhaust pipe, a collar on the exhaust pipeto support the annulus, a supply'tank for water for the steam chamber mounted on the dash, a sight opening to observe the rate of flow of the water from the tank, a manually adjustable valve carried on the tank for control of the rate of flow, a pipe to'lead the water from the tank to the steam chamber, said pipe passing through the wall thereof and terminating above the annulus to deposit the water thereon for vaporization, and an independent pipe to lead the steam from the steam chamber into the high speed air chamber.

This specification signed this 27th day of June A. D. 1916.

j CLARENCE a. Siamese. 

